Please report back if you have a chance to drive your car at highway speeds. If you report that the noise reduction is indeed significant at those speeds, I might just take the plunge... how is this thing attached? Adhesive? Screws at mounting points? Is it easy to detach should you not want it anymore? (looking for something non-permanent, as I have an aversion to making permanent changes to my car)

 

I can attest that the noise reduction at normal highway speeds is significant. I am actually very surprised. There is slight wind noise that seems to be originating from the front of the moonroof glass when it's in the far back position. (over the back glass). That may have been there all along but was not noticeable due to the loudness of the windscreen located near the front opening of the moonroof.

It is attached with double sided tape (grey, like the heavy duty 3m type) It's already in place and trimmed on the bottom of the wind deflector so all you need to do is remove the red protective tape then put the unit in place. I installed this in the Pepboys parking lot but I measured and marked it off so the install would be centered. I did have to take two attempts to get it just right. The tape is sticky but I was able to remove the deflector and put it down a second time. I imagine that I will need to use a heat gun and some Goo Gone when/if the time comes to remove the thing later. But it's not a permanent install. Just sturdy, sticky tape.

I would recommend one that is a little shorter in width, if something like that is even available. I chose this one because it had a slight curve built in (would match the roof curve of the Mini) and it was solid black instead of smoke. This one is 33.5" and it sticks out about 2.5" on each side. It's not a problem but I would prefer one that fits a little tighter.

Like I said, I'm very pleased with the deflector and it's function so far. I have a roof rack and a cargo rack that I'll try on a little later in the year. I doubt that the deflector will have any negative impact on that install.

 

Bought it a suction cup mount

 

Thank you so much for your detailed reply. I may bite the bullet this weekend.

 

Installed an AEM intake.

 

- Replaced lower engine mount
- Replaced passenger side engine mount
- Changed the oil





More pics in my thread.

 

Went with 215s from 205s with new shoe purchase. Kumho 4X

 

Fitted a JCW strut brace to my R56

Sent from my iPhone using NAMotoring

 

Purchased JCW black leather steering wheel w/red stitching, JCW shifter w/black leather gaitor and red stitching, JCW black leather handbrake gaitor w/red stitching, GoBadges Red Jack boot shelf cover, GoBadge skull engine start button.

 

Got those on Calico Jack. Great tires!

 

Just installed a DDM Cold Air Intake on my 2010 Justa Clubman! Love the sound, thanks for the recommendation!

 

I installed a drop-in Afe air filter into my new Countryman...

 

Any pics of the new leather? And where did you get them?

 

Here is the pics of the JCW parts.

JCW black leather steering wheel w/red stitching ? The JCW GP 2 Version ( thicker ) or JCW version ( standard thickness ) ? See below for options on the R56+, put all the options.

This is the JCW Leather wheel that is normal thickness but has a red stitching on the inside. Found on newer JCW's and JCW Countryman.

JCW ( normal thickness ) Steering Wheel Leather W/ Red Stitching - Manual transmission

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/32306798801/ES2178694/




Those parts above ( on your last post ) are the JCW "Thicker" wheel in Full leather or Alcantara

JCW "Thicker" wheel in Full leather

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/32300416250/ES52298/




JCW "Thicker" wheel in half Alcantara / Leather

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/32300416251/




OR

Here is close up of the JCW GP 2 wheel, thicker in full leather w/ red stitching.

JCW GP2 Leather Steering Wheel - Red Stitching

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/32306858010/




--------------------------------------------------

"JCW shifter w/black leather gaitor and red stitching"

Maybe the JCW GP2 version ? Or the one without the red top, but red shift pattern.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/25117638583/ES2607800/




-----------------------------------------------------


"JCW black leather handbrake gaitor w/red stitching"

Has to be this one.


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/34429225263/




Post up pics of that interior.

 

OK... I admit I don't have a Mini... in fact I don't even know anyone who has a Mini. Therein lies my problem. I am in the market for a new-used car. I love fast sporty hatchbacks. I currently drive a 2007 Mazdaspeed 3. I find with a growing family that I need slightly more room despite my love for my Speed 3. I love the look of the Countryman JCW and it appears to fit my lifestyle, but cannot even find one within 100 miles of me to test drive (Richmond, VA). Hence, I am wondering what ownership must be like. Please help me with my research. Are there many problems with the car/ownership in general? Is it a nice driving car or just nice to look at? Anyone else driver a Mazdaspeed 3, will i be disappointed with the Countryman JCW? Other cars i am looking at: BMW X1 M-sport; BMW 328 wagon; Audi A4 Avant; Audi Q5

 

2014 jcw countryman all4 at Crown mini on broad street. Black in color

 

Hey, thanks! I will have to check it out.

 

Ordered parts for my MC40s .... $525.00 ... lots of parts ...

Motor on!

 

I'm not at all sure the CM is going to offer more room than the 3.


I just checked: the Countryman has 13.2 fewer cubic ft of interior volume.


Sent from my phone using NAMotoring, which is why I've probably mistyped something.

 

Installed JB+...

 

With rear seats folded I am seeing 41.3 cubic ft for CM vs 31 for my Speed 3 according to edmunds.although looking at head, leg, and shoulder room, I am amazed that a compact hatchback like mine has more room than a "SUV". Judging by the resounding noise of crickets, maybe the Mini CM JCW is not the best choice for me. Also, consumer ratings seem extremely low. Sounds like there are a lot of very unhappy customers out there after spending so much money on these cars.

 

Yeah, not sure what to say... I am familiar with the Speed 3 and they always seemed to be good cars. We were considering one until the third kid came along.

Are you just an end user of cars (driver) or can you wrench on a car? Many times my wife told me the MINI would be gone if I did not work on him.

Best approach I can say is to research the specific model you want and look for threads that outline any potential "weak links" in a chassis or motor. Then decide if that is something you can live with or fix yourself. This forum is a wealth of information for identifying issues and how to correct them without breaking the budget. If you can work on the MINI, picking up a service repair manual never hurts as well since it will give you the step by step process on taking something apart.

With my Cooper, I have all but replaced MINI parts that are weak links with aftermarket parts that hold up. So my weak links are no longer weak. If that makes sense.

MINIs are unique cars. They bring a lot of fun and enjoyment with driving. But you need to realize what you are getting into prior to getting into it. Otherwise your experience may be less than appealing. But with that said, it is not to scare you off... there are many people on this forums that love their MINIs so there is something that keeps people coming back.

 

Hey Swagger,
I don't own a CM but I've not heard any complaints from my friends that do. It's hard for Mini owners to give you some input without sounding like we are insulting your car! I have a slightly modified Cooper S (not a JCW) and I am producing a decent amount of HP with the mods that I've installed. However, I did have trouble in a street race with a Speed3. I was very surprised until I learned that they come from the factory with considerably more HP than mine! Consequently, I looked into them and concluded that the difference in other areas was worth the trade off for me. Those areas included MPG, suspension, and pride of ownership. Again, this should not be considered an insult to your car.. or any other car for that matter. But the Mini community is unique and there's something about it that I just like.

The Speed3 is going to be faster than a JCW CM. It will likely be more roomy and it will certainly be less $$$. But I would doubt that it would drive as well as the CM. I am doubtful that it would be as enjoyable (overall) to drive and own than the CM but that is a very subjective thing.

I'm not sure what the Speed3 community is like but the Mini community is very enjoyable. Like most things desirable, those things come at a price! People that buy Mini's are willing to pay more for the joy of owning these things and that is not something that everyone can understand or bring themselves to do!

For what it's worth....

 

I do all of the maintenance and repair for both vehicles in my household from simple to very complex repairs although I have never had to crack open an engine to work on internals. My Speed has been extremely reliable despite my hard driving, so I guess I prefer to work on my cars more out of necessity with a little hobbie to it... And have no problem going aftermarket upgrades as long as it doesn't void warranty. The Mazdaspeed community is a very tight group of car enthusiasts as well. Thanks for the input.

 

I was only looking at the overall volume (and with the current model, not the 07, so...) but honestly I'm surprised that the CM would have more room in ANY measurement. It's really not very big, especially the cargo area. Remember, the current Golf is two inches longer.

For my money, and I say this as a happy MINI owner, I'd probably buy any car on your list - including the current batch of 3s, even without a Speed option -before the CM. But if extra space is your concern, if definitely get some hands-on time first, as I'm not intimately familiar with the space in each of them.


Sent from my phone using NAMotoring, which is why I've probably mistyped something.